Tabulating-card printer device



Nov. 30 1926. 1,608,837

- J. W. BRYCE TABULATING CARD PRINTER DEVICE Filed May 21, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 5eas 83 as 26 a2 v J. w. BRYCE TABULATING CARD PRINTER DEVICE Nov. 30, 192

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 21, 1924 v H .H W. a

B M J a M 0 R an W a n 9 8 a a fifi avwemtoz W W D uju,

Nov. 30 1926.

J. W. BRYCE TABULATING CARD PRINTER DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 21, 1924 Nov. 30 1926. 1,608,837

J. w. BRYCE TABULATING CARD PRINTER DEVICE I Fi1ed May 21, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 iiii' ifl iflii Ell 44 wvemtoz Nov. 30 1926. 1,608,83?

J. w. BRYCE TABULATING CARD PRINTER DEVICE Filed May 21, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Qmvawtoz.

I Patented Nov. 30, 1 926 UNITED STATES 4 1,608,837 PATENT OFFICE.

James W. BRYCE, orrnoomrmnn, NEW innsnv, assrenon 'ro'zrnn rai'mrwrme ,macrrmn COMPANY, or ENDICOT'I,-NI EW YORK, A conrorm'rron or NEW JERSEY.

resonance-cam) mums DEVICE.

Applicatiomfiled Kay 21,

In the tabulating machine art ,it is the common practice to perforate record cards with statistical data. in the form of perforations. utilized in connection with sorting and tabulating machines. In sorting-machines the cards are separated into groups and subsequently the sorted cards x,may be passed through tabulating machines and data derived therefrom and accumulated or listed or both accumulated and listed. The general practice with these cards has been to erforate them in punching devices. Read-' mg of the perforated cards while easy for an experienced person is a matter of some difiiculty for'one who is not familiar with the general system. It has accordingly been the practice to print the cards first with characters such as the numbers, digits. etc., and the punchings on the cards are made directly (pi the spaces in which the corresponding printed charactenis placed. It therefore follows that after a card'is punched the printed number designating a particular hole is punched out and the method of reading the card consists in interpreting the omitted characters rather than in reading directly visible characters. Some efforts have been made to provide machines for perforating which in addition to perforating print a record on a card. Such machines have not come into general use since it has been very difi'icult to effect both printing and perforating on account of the extra power 2 required for effecting these operations. si-

multaneously.

According to the present invention it IS proposed to perforate'the record cards in the usual manner in any suitable punching mechanism. Subsequently if it is desired to have certaln cards with printed data -.thercon indicative of the perforations the .-cards are passed through the machine illustrated in the present application where they are successively printed with the sensed data as derived from the perforations already made in the cards. This printing may be conventionally disposed in one line at the top of or adjacent the top of the card and, Furthermore, if desired, the machine pro vides for the transition of, the printing from one field or card to another. In other words, it is not only possible to print the characters directly over theperforations in the card to which they cor'respond but'iit' is These record cards are afterwards 1924. Serial no. 714,918.

also possible to offset the printing with re spect to the perforations. If desired, the machine can be arranged to print characters correspondingto certain perforated characters and omit the printing of characters correspondlng to other perforations. Thus cards may be perforated in the left hand zone or field and the printing of these corresponding perforations may be made at the right hand side of the card. The machine also contemplates the provision of means for severing the card into two parts after cutting is effected. Thus it is possible to use one side of the card as a printed receipt or stub. 1

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 illustrates a front elevation of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on lines 22 of- Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a detailed enlarged sectional view of certain of the partsshown in Fig. 2 but in moved position.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the knife or cutting mechanism for severing the cards into two parts.

Fig. 6 is a detail view taken substantially on line-66 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a circuit diagram of the machine showing the method of cross-plugging to permit printing in certain columns of records derived. from other columns of the card.

Fig. 8 is a view showing a card after it has passed through the machine with the printed data which has been placed thereon by the machine.

In more detail, 10 represents the main drive shaftof the machine. This maybe driven in any suitable manner as by an. electric motor. From shaft 10 a suitable driving train shown in Fig. 3 is provided which drives disks 11 and actuates the picker mechanism 12.

record card at a time'from the supply stack or magazine 13. The supply magazine is of conventional construction being provided with suitable means for pressing the cards towards the picker mechanism 12. A suitablegear train shown'in Fig. 3 also drives the feed rolls 14, 15, 16, and 16 The card which is advanced by the picker passes into the bight of the feed rolls 14 and subse quently advances between guides 17 to-tho' p This reciprocating picker mechanism is adapted to advance one lea ' the machine.

- tween guides 21.

' operation of the-feed rolls 16', 16, com rises otal rolls 16'.

analyzing or perforating readi devices which. com rise brushes 18 an contact blocks 19'. hesebrushes and contact blocks are of conventional construction such as are commonly used in electrically controlled tabulating machines. After passing the analyzing brushes .the' cards pass into feed rolls which advance each card between the guides 20. The cards are subsequently advanced. byfeed rolls16", 16, down beedge' of aicard reaches the guides 21 a card stop orabutment 22 is advanced b means of the cam 23 shown in Fig. 2. his cam is; disposed upon the maincam shaft 10 of disk 11 and at the proper time in the cycle of the machine is drawn into a notch 25 .in said disk by means of a suitable spring 26. In this way the feed ro1l s=16 are rocked to the left from the position shown in Fig.2

out of contact with the surface of the card.

Subsequently afterthe abutment 22 is withdrawn the bell crank 23 is rocked in a counterclockwise direction by the rotation of disk 11 thus displacing feed rolls 16 against the card and causing it to cooperate with rolls 16 to'feed the card forward to the cuttin rolls 26. These cutting rolls 26 are provide with interacting knives 27 -(see Fig. 5);

They cooperate to sever the card into two halves. The position of these knives may be changed to suit the particular card which is being handled. If desired, they may be placed so as to cut the card i-nto a long body portion and a short stub or in'c'ertain instances they may be omitted altogether and deliver an uncut card. From cutter rolls 26, if such are employed, the cards advance to a stacker 28 which is of conventional form. This stacker is driven from the main drive shaft of the machine by the gear train shown in Fig. 3. The stacker operates to discharge the cards into a discharge magazine 29. I

For efiecting the printing on therecord cards as they successively pass through the machine a-plurality of pivot type'sectors 30 are provided; These sectors are all loosely mounted upon a supporting shaft 31. Also mounted on this shaft is a combined actuating and restoring bail structure .32. The

individual sectors 30 are connected to this Just before the "lower 1 lame bailby means of tension-springs 33. Thus- I upon the clockwise rocking of the bail 32 the springs 33 will rock the sectors. 30 con currently ina clockwise direction. The. sectors may be arrested at any point in their travel and subsequent] the s rings 33 will elongate and permit t e furtlier movement of the bail .32. Upon the reverse rocking of bail 32 a suitable cross rod carried by this 'bail structure will contact with thesectors and positively rockthem in a counterclockwise direction. For rocking the bail 32 th following mechanism is provided.

-Referr1ngfto Fig. 6, bail 32 has connected to it orinte ral therewith a collar-like member 35 whic is fast to the shaft 31. Fast on this shaft there is alsoprovided a ear 36 which meshes with the sector 37. his sector at the proper time in the cycle in the machine is actuated'by a linkage. 38 (see Fig. 3), the linkage extendingtoa connection with follower rolls which cooperate with cams 39 and 40 shaft 10.

f The arrangement and timing of the parts is such that the ivot type sectors 30 are. rocked under the influence of the springs 33 in a clockwise direction synchronously'with the movement of a card ast the analyzing or sensingbrushes 18'; 'I a'perforation at, say, the 5 position on the 'card is under the which are fast to the main reading or sensing brushes the correspondthrough the index point-perforations by the The establishment of a circuit I I.

brushes is adaptedto energize a magnet .41.

There are a number of these magnets 41 corresponding to the'difierent columns in the card, each magnet being related to a correspondmg type sector 30. The energization of any magnet is adapted to release a awl device 42 and allow it to engage one o the ratchet teeth 43. After pawl 42 has engaged the ratchet teeth'43 further movementof the type sector 30 ina clockwise direction is prevented. Type sectors '30 are all positioned for printing during the passage of a card past the brushes." Subsequently these type sectors are" held during the period that a card passes from the analyzing station to the, printing station and during the printing cycle.

Referring to 'Fig. 4,44 designates a printing platen disposed at the printing line on the machine. Over this printing platen and spaced therefrom is the usual inklng ribbon 45. The inking ribbon devices are of conventional form and require no detailed description.

For each type sector 30 there is an individual hammer 46 which is adapted to strike the particular type- 47 on the type sector which is at the printing line. The hammers 46 are actuated by thesprings 48 and are tripped by the retaining bail 49, which bail J tends to a follower mem r 52 cooperating with a suitable cam on the shaft 10. For restoring and relatching the hammers a bail 54 is provided fast on shaft 55,-wh1ch shaft in turn is rocked by a cam 56 on shaft 10.

Prior to the striking movement of the hammers bail 54 is rocked clear of the hammers by means of a suitable spring 57. To suppress the printing on any desired columns suitable hammer locking devices 58 may be provided. These hammer leeks 58 when swung to the dotted line position (Fig. 4) engage depending tails 59 on the hammers and prevent their swinging forward when they are unlatched by. the latching ba l 49.

These hammer lock devices maybe selectively operated at will to suppress printing at any desired columns on the card.

, Before the type sectors 30 can berestored in acounterclockwise direction by the rocking of bail 32 it is necessary that pawls 42 be disengaged from ratchet teeth For this purpose a restoring bail 60 (Flg. 4) 1s provided, which bail is adapted tobe rocked counterclockwise by a linkage 61 which extends to and connects with a finger 62 (Fig. 2) adapted to be struck by a pin 63 carried on cam 23. The rocking of bail 60 not only positively restores the pawls 42 but also through springs 64 exerts stress on the pivoted member 65 and thereby moves the armature 66 away from the magnets 41. Subsequently the shoulders 67 on pawls 42 Wlll engage other shoulders 68 on member 65 and thereby latch the pawls 42 in a position In which they canbe again tripped upon the 'energization of magnets 41.

In devices of this sort it is also necessary that the circuits through the index point perforations in the cards to magnets 41 be interrupted before the brushes leave the perforations in order to prevent arclng at the brushes. Referring to Figs. 2 and 4, there is associated with each pawl 42 a pair of contacts 7 O. which contacts are normally held closed by the pawl 42 when the same is in the latter positionvas shown in Fig. 2.

Immediately upon the energization of magnet 41 and the tripping ofpawl 42, the pawl 42 swings in a counterclockwise direction and permits contacts 70 to'o'pen thus interrupting the circuit to'corresponding magnet 41 before the brush 18 leaves the perforation in the card.

Referring now to the circuit diagram (Fig. 7), certain of the mechanical parts are shown in a diagrammatic manner in this 'view. In this figure 72 is the driving motor which by a suitable belt and pulley connection drives the main drive shaft 10 of'the 65 machine. This shaft through suitable gear 'ing drives the picker devices 12, which advances the record cards one at a time from stack 13 through the feed rolls and past the cooperating brushes and contact blocks- 18 and 19. At such timeswhen the cards are passing the brushes the usual card lever'73 -is pressed back by the cards thus closing card lever contacts 74.

To start the machine into operation the operator first closes main line switch. 7 5, thereupon start key 77 is depressed which, upon the closure of its contacts, establishes a circuit from line 78 through start key 77 motor relay magnets 79, emergency stop key contacts 80 now closed, to the motor 72 and back through wire 76 to source. The energization of the motor relay 79 establishes a holding circuit for the motor 72 through the armature of motor relay magnet 79,'throu.gh line 81, through cam contacts 82 which are closed after the motor has rotated the parts. thence back through wire 78 to source. Cards now pass downwardly through the feed rolls and close the card contacts 74. Cum contacts 83 and 84 are make and break cams generallyv used in apparatus of this sort and serve to establish a circuit '85 to the card lever contacts 74 and to interrupt this circuit once per card cycle. The closure of the card lever contacts 74 when circuit 85 is established energizes the printer magnet control relay 86 and motor control relay nets back to source. The attraction of the armature of motor control relay magnet 87 establishes another holding circuit for the driv ng motor 72 through a line 88 and thence through motor relay 79 and through the rest of the circuit as previously traced. This holding circuit maintains the machine magnet 87, current flowing from these magin operation when cam contacts 82 break once per card cycle. The purpose of the contacts 82 is to interrupt the printing operation upon deenergization of the motor control relay 87 after the last card has passed through the mach ne and permitted contacts 74 to open.

The energization of the printer magnet control relay 86-attracts its armature and closes a circuit 90 supplied from the make and break contacts 84, .83. From the wire 90 current flows through the armature of relay 86 thence through line 91 to the common brush bar 92. From this brush bar current flows through the brushes 18 upon the passage of index points thereunder to contactblocks 19. These contact blocks are connected by suitable cable wires 93 to dual plugboard sockets 94, 95. vOn the plugboard there are other sockets 96 which are connected to the contacts 70. Contacts 70 use is provided through suitable common return wires 98 which connect. to wires 76. If it is desired to print in the correspond ing columns. in'whic'h the perforation has occurred plug connections suchas 99 may be provided connecting plug sockets 95, 96,

in corresponding columns. If it is desired to offset the printing the plugging connections ma be arranged as by wireslOO fromplug soc ets 94 to other plug sockets 96 out of alignment therewith.

It will be understood that it is also ossible ,to duplicate printed data derived from certain columns at-two places upon the printed card. -.This may be. effected by conjointly utilizing dual plug connections such as' 100 and 101, the latterconnecting to sockets 95 and the former connecting to corresponding sockets 94. It will also-be understood that if it is desired-to suppress printing entirely of the data sensed by any part cular group of brushes it' is only necessary to entirely omit the plug connections, in which case the circuit to the printing magnets will be broken entirely. In the event that there are no plug connections the sectors will move to their extreme limit pothe card. Then after the card is severed one part of the card will contain COI'I'GS'. ponding printed'data to the other part of the the card. It will be appreciated that the stub and main portion of the card may contain in part duplicate data and in part different data as desired. What I claim is 1. A tabulating card printing apparatus comprising means for feeding cards through the machines, means for reading perforations in said cards while the-latter are in motion,

and means for printing on said cards data derived from the perforations therein.

2. A tabulating card printing apparatus comprising means for feeding a, succession of cards therethrough, means for sensing the perforationsin said cards, means controlled by the aforesaid means for printing on each card printed characters indicative of the perforated data thereon, and means for transposing-the printed data to a di 'lferent field or different columnar-position on the card than that from which controlling perforated datais derived.

3. A tabulating, and printing apparatus comprising means for successively eeding a series of perforated cards, means for successively reading the perforations in each pass- Y ing card, means for printing corresponding for su pressin at will the printing of rec-v ords erived romv certain card fields.

4. A tabulating card printing apparatus perforations therein, means-for printing on' each card from which readings are taken of the perforations therein, data. indicative of the erforations therein and means for" severing the printed cards into multiple portions after the same have been printed.

5. A tabulating cardprinting apparatus comdprising means for successively feeding car s therethrough, means for sensing-the perforated data thereon, printing devices for printing on each card records correspon' ing to the perforations therein, and means forcontrolling said printing devices from said perforation reading means, said means having provisions for ermittingthe duplicatin of like printed ata upon different car zones.

6. A' tabulating card printing machine comprising means for readingsuccessively the perforations of a series of record cards, means for successively rinting on each card data derived from the perforations in the same card, means for selectively transposing the printing to any desired zone on the card, said means permitting the printing of the data in columnar alignment'with the perforations or in part out of alignment as desired.

7. A tabulating card printing apparatus comprising means for feeding a succession of cards through the machine, means for sensing perforations in the cards while the latter are in motion throu h the machine, means for arresting the card s temporarily to permit printing thereon and means controlled by the aforesaid sensing means for printing data upon the cards while the latter are temporarily at rest.

8. A tabulating card printing apparatus comprising means for feeding a succession of cards through the machine, means including brushes for sensing theperforations in the cards'while the latter are in motion, a plurality of type sectors. displaceable synchronously with the moving cards, magnet devices for arresting the type sectors in accordance with the perforations therein and means for taking a record from the ty e carried by said sectors and impressing the same uponthe card from which the corresponding perforations appear.

9. A card printing apparatus including means for reading the perforations in each of a succession of cards and for printing the individual cards with data corresponding to the said perforations, means for transposing the printing of any desired data from the columns or zones in which readings are taken effected, said means having provisions for permitting the repeating of the printing of ike data derived from perforations in cers tain zones, in a plurality of different zones on the card and means for. severing the card into a plurality of portions.

11. A tabulating card printing apparatus comprising in combination, means for reading the perforations in each of a succession of cards and for printing each card from which perforations are read with data corresponding to the perforations therein and means for severing each printed card into a stub and main portion.

12. A tabulating card printing apparatus including in combination, means for reading the perforations of each of a series of perforated record cards and for printing each card with data-corresponding to the perforations therein, said means having provisions for printin certain like data derived from a. single per orated zone upon different and spaced'zones upon the cards, and means for severing each card into a stub and main portion, each of which contains the like designating data.

13. A tabulating card printing apparatus comprising means for feeding a series of perforated cards in succession, means for printing upon each card data designating the perforations therein, electromagnetic means for controlling the said printing operations, and brush reading devicescooperating with the record card perforations for controlling said electromagnetic devices.

14. A tabulating card printing apparatus comprising means for feeding a series of perforated cards, means for sensing the perforations therein while the cards are inmo- -tion, means for displacing a series of type carriers synchronously with the passage of each card past the sensing means, means for individually arresting the type carriers by said sensing means, means for temporarily stopping each card with its record receiving zone at the printing line of said type carriers, means for impressing a record from the type on said carriers upon each said card while arrested, and means for thereafter discharging the printed card from the machine.

15. A tabulating card printing apparatus, comprising means for feeding a series of perforated cards therethrough, means for sensing the perforations therein While the cards are in motion therethrough, means for differentially positioning a series of type carriers to bring the type of value determined by the sensing means to the printing line, and means operative while the record receiving zone of each card is at the printing line for taking a record from said type.

In testimony whereof 1 hereto aflix my signature.

JAMES W. BRYCE. 

